Music Monday

The KoR CMJ Dancecard

New Yorkers, have you noticed a strange over-abundance of annoyingly hip people wandering around the city? Well, if you haven't yet, you will soon. Because CMJ's Music Marathon is all this week and, as a result, basically every band you've ever heard of is playing. Even Evan Dando, weirdly enough. And, whereas we here at Kindness of Ravens are way too old to be going to shows every night, we can live vicariously through you, Internet, and we hope you enjoy the many, many, MANY artists performing this week. Can't make up your mind on who to see? There we can help. Here's a list of the CMJ showcases we're most excited to see, broken up by day.

Glasslands Gallery

Sean Bones

ECHOecho

Right On Dynamite

Beat Radio

We're bummed that Speech Debelle couldn't work out the whole visa work/travel issues and is thus stuck in the UK, not playing this show, but we're betting Cobble Hill's own Sean Bones (above) will rock the stage nonetheless. Like easy flowin', good feelin', smoothed out white boy reggae? Um, why wouldn't you? Check out his winningly good Easy Street.

A couple of bands before him is another Brooklyn band, Right On Dynamite, who we don't know very well, but get points for a) Brooklyn, b) extra positive name, and c) this track—Mantra for the Madness.

If you're sick of Brooklyn and just looking for some well-crafted, modern day noise pop, a la My Bloody Valentine, check out the stupendous Black Swan Green at the Delancey instead (8:15PM). Though I think they're from Brooklyn too...

Le Poisson Rouge

Green Owl Showcase with

The Very Best

Violens

Grandchildren

Ninjasonik

It saddens us somewhat to look back at our post on The Very Best from earlier this summer—when weather was warm and the promise of vacations and days at the beach still hung in the air—but we're SUPER-psyched to find out that they were added to the CMJ lineup for Wednesday's Green Owl Showcase. We're not sure if Esau Mwamwaya plays by himself for live shows or if the two producers who make up Radioclit will be accompanying him, but, regardless, it's sure to be a great set. Their album is finally out, which we highly recommend, but you can download some of their songs over at rcrdlbl.com too. We're not crazy about the slightly derivative, new wave-y Violens, but Grandchildren play music that mixes acoustic and electronic in an rolling, tranquil way that reminds us of Mice Parade. And Ninjasonik's gotta be good, right?

The Delancey (downstairs)

We Are Enfant Terrible

Reni Lane

Suckers

Yes Giantess

Delorean

The Antlers

Bear Hands

Male Bonding

special guest

Well, we don't know who the "very special guest you won't want to miss" might be, but we do know that, even if it's NOT Alf, this show's going to kick some serious asses. If you can make it over to the Delancey, be sure to catch Suckers early on (7:45PM), followed by the back-to-back awesomeness of The Antlers (10PM) and Bear Hands (above, 10:45PM). Check out Long Lean Queen by Bear Hands.

The Bell House

Polyvinyl Showcase

Japandroids

Headlights

Owen

James Husband

Cale Sparks

Motel Motel

Common Loon

DJ sets by Asobi Seksu

I can't deny my emo roots in not recommending the Polyvinyl Showcase at Bell House on Friday. It's got something for everyone—the hot new indie pop of Headlights; the jangly-yet-sweet sounds of ever-cool Japandroids; and the sadly sweet songs and quick wit of Mike Kinsella (AKA - Owen, helmeted for safety above). Plus I bet Yuki Chikudate of Asobi Seksu can spin a mean disk.

The Bell House

Au Revoir Simone

The Postmarks

Still Flyin'

Pursesnatchers

Miracles of Modern Science

Head back over to the Bell House Saturday for the coup de grace, headlined by Brooklyn's pop trinity, Au Revoir Simone and the (again) white boy reggae pop sounds of Still Flyin', whose seasonally-appropriate Good Thing It's a Ghost Town Around Here is our song of the week (to the right). And TOTALLY don't miss KoR favorites, Miracles of Modern Science, who are opening the show with their superbly unique string-quartet-meets-steampunk-scifi sounds. That may not read as awesome, but they really are great. Download their EP for free from their myspace page. Highly highly recommended.

Alright, that's it from us. We're going to go take a nap now or do some other old person thing. Like work. Boooooo.